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A turning point for local Republicans
To the editor, I clearly remember sitting with my Dad in our home in southern Pend Oreille County watching the 1980 Election on our console television. I remember the sense of excitement when we learned that Ronald Reagan would be our next president. I remember the sense of hope that the Iranian hostages could come home. In a county and state dominated by Democrats, our family were Republicans. I’m still a Republican. After a lifetime of commitment and service in this county, it is inconceivable to me that the present leadership of the local Republican Party would think that I am ineligible to represent my community in the local party.
It’s a sad state of affairs when an organization has lost their way and forgotten their roots. Instead of advocating for issues or standing on principles, POCR leaders are now obsessed with political advantage and personal power. They demand blind allegiance and loyalty from all members through vetting, sponsorship, and signed pledges. I believe that political power is derived from the consent of the governed!
Why should that be any different for the local Republican Party? Of all people, of all organizations, Republicans should understand and model that concept! Do the current Republican PCOs have the trust of local Republicans they purport to represent? Conversely, does the POCR leadership trust the choices and priorities of the people they say they represent? If so, why not allow those grassroots leaders to be elected? Do the approximately 75-80 “registered” POCR members really represent the thousands of voters who identify as Republicans in this county? If we’re going to be a party that actually achieves good for the people of this county, we must have a party that engages the participation and trust of ALL its members.
-Brian Smiley Metaline Falls
Who Is Running the Country?
To the editor, Humans have a miraculous organ: the liver. It tirelessly toils away to detoxify contaminants and the byproducts of digestion. When overburdened by toxins, it performs amazing workarounds, including stuffing toxins away to hopefully handle later. It works seamlessly without overt symptoms – right up until it can’t, when the liver may be operating at only 20% capacity! The sudden emergence of life-threatening symptoms shocks the body’s owner, who thought everything was just fine.
Apparently, this progression not only applies to living systems, but also to civilizations. Rather than decline happening gradually, the “rot” goes unnoticed until steep decline suddenly manifests. We mistakenly believe that we will have plenty of time to prepare for a softer landing. Not so! Evidence shows that civilizations decline suddenly, devolving into chaos.
Here in the US, while everyone’s attention was laser-focused on the imminent felony verdict against Trump, Politico quietly published: “Exclusive: Biden secretly gave Ukraine permission to strike inside Russia with US weapons.” This is a reversal of Biden’s unusually prudent ban on using US weapons inside Russia. The article declares that “Biden’s decision” might be the most momentous he ever made – yet there was not one quote from Biden himself! All sources were anonymous: “…two US officials and two other people familiar with the move.”
Who are they? Why doesn’t anyone in the administration take credit for revealing this unspeakably dangerous decision? Was this article published right before the Trump verdict hoping we wouldn’t notice? Of course, only “short-range rockets” are allowed – for now. But the pattern of steady escalation toward nuclear World War is alarmingly evident.
Since Biden’s cognitive capabilities are in question, it’s possible he is no longer capable of making reasoned decisions. Which then begs the question: who is running our country? Are we speeding towards a precipice?
-Kamori Cattadoris Newport
Trump wants to be Putin
To the editor, I’m appalled at the lag in getting military supplies to Ukraine. If Ukraine loses to Putin, our GOP leaders in congress are totally to blame. You’d think they were supporting Putin. No, wait a minute, they are supporting Trump, who worships Putin.
This is what our country has become. We spend countless lives and dollars to fight communism for 80 years, and one person who has so much power over our GOP congress, and directs them to not go against the worst communist dictator in our life time.
Wake up people.
Trump is not protecting democracy. He wants to become a dictator like Putin.
If you can’t see that, you need go see a therapist.
-Budd Colucci Newport
Lack of housing is indeed a crisis
To the editor, Thank you to the Newport Miner for Wednesday, May 29, 2024, article Housing crisis: Homeless numbers grow despite new construction. It is a crisis. It is without a doubt that the homeless numbers will grow not “despite new construction,” but because of the new construction. The “60 households, plus 95 unstably housed person” in POC can’t afford the $500,000 to $1.4 million homes, to be built by RYN Built Homes on the former Mendenhall, now OO Land Holding, LLC properties? If they could afford the costs, they wouldn’t be homeless in the first place.
With the prospect of two large housing developments - one in Newport and the other in Oldtown, which will amount to nothing less than high ended, gated communities, is there a concentrated concern and effort by our county or city for the homeless? Is there a focus and program for future affordable units?
In addition, a 300 unit housing development on undeveloped land will necessitate considerable infrastructure and longterm maintenance and put a heavy burden on property owners. Property taxes are too high now. People will be taxed out of their homes creating a whole new genre’ of homelessness. Plus, we are burning up homes due to forest fires faster than we can build them. No one is going to insure homes that are unprotectable.
Solving the issue of “homelessness,” meaning people who don’t have a permanent home or who are living in a public or private shelter or in their cars & campers, will not be solved by the construction of high end homes. This critical problem is multifaceted and requires a plan, setting priorities and goals with all the stakeholders, including the homeless. Everyone needs an affordable home.
-Phyllis Kardos Co-chair RG * NEW Newport
Children need their fathers
To the editor, Years ago I read a story about a wild animal refuge in Africa that was experiencing behavior issues with their juvenile male elephants. The young elephants were attacking vehicles in the park, being aggressive with staff members and visitors, and fighting with other young elephants. The scientists in the facility racked their brains trying to determine what was causing the aggressive and destructive behavior. To no avail. Then, a staff member remembered that two years before, there was an over population of adult male elephants and so the refuge removed most of them to another location. The young male elephants grew up without the presence of an adult male role model and were destructive and aggressive and overall behaving badly. The moral of this story: fathers are important – children need their fathers.
Happy Fathers Day!
-Lorraine Kirkpatrick Newport
Former Democrats fundraising for Trump
To the editor, As a convicted felon, Trump is raising millions of dollars. In the six hours following the verdict he raised 34.8M. In the first week he has raised 400M.
37.6% were from new, first time donors. He has two fundraisers coming up in CA. In the Silicon Valley, it costs 150K to get in the door and 200K if you bring a friend. This event has already sold out.
The second will be held in Beverly Hills. It costs 200K to get in the door.
This event is also sold out and many have pledged an additional 100K. Why?
Both events have former Democrats helping to organize them. Businesses in NY are scared to death. This conviction amounted to an accounting error. This verdict was “the shot heard around the world.” The President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, told Don Jr “we don’t jail the opposition.” Bukele has turned El Salvador around on crime.
Their murder statistics are lower than ours per 100,000.
Judge Merchan just released a letter to all parties in Trump’s NYC case. A family member of a juror posted the probable conviction on social media prior to the verdict. Mistrial?
Hunter’s trial on gun charges has begun. He lied on his background check regarding drug use. His former girlfriend and his former wife both testified that Hunter liked his crack cocaine. His former girlfriend is the one who wrapped up the pistol and threw it in a garbage can.
We also learned that the holster had cocaine residue on it. An FBI agent testified that Hunter’s laptop was authentic and it hadn’t been tampered with.
His last name is Biden.
We’ll have to see how this turns out.
A YouGov poll was taken after Trumps conviction.
It found that Americans faith in our judicial system has dropped to about 50%.
That’s not good.
-Glen Pierce Spokane/Cusick
MAGA Trumpism disrespects the flag
To the editor, Perhaps you remember the Black football player who kneeled during the playing of our National Anthem. Now we have a Supreme Court Justice that displayed our flag upside down in a protest over the 2020 presidential election. The football player has been blackballed from playing in the NFL. The Supreme Court Justice blamed his flag disrespect on his wife and suffers no penalty.
Many people in our community display the American Flag as a sign of patriotism. I fly the flag on official holidays. Since a majority of community residents vote Republican and support Donald Trump, I wonder if they will follow the lead of their Supreme Court Justice and fly their flags upside down to demonstrate their political allegiance. According to the US Flag Code, flying the flag upside down is a signal of distress in situations of extreme danger to life or property. Should we call 911 and report your distress and extreme danger signal so the police and fire services could respond?
MAGA Trumpism has turned our nation’s flag into a political rag to be disrespected. This is the same flag that was on my father’s and father-in-law’s casket at their funerals.
One of those folded flags is displayed in a case in my home. Would those brave men who served in WWII want me to take the flag out of the case and fly it upside down as a political protest?
The 4th of July is coming and I wonder how many upside-down flags will be flying in our community.
You would be signaling your support of a convicted felon to be President of the United States of America and signal the extreme danger he poses for our nation.
-Pete Scobby Newport
Trump convicted by citizens
To the editor, Several GOP elected officials have referenced the Trump trial as a sham. They state that they are Christian but support a conman , lie for him etc., and don’t behave as the true Christians I know.
Their comments and behaviors have severely eroded my confidence in their ability to support the rule of law and our right to a trial “by your peers.”
A Wall Street Journal article (5/31/2024) stated, “Trump was convicted by a jury and not his political enemies.” As mentioned in the article, every criminal jury has the right and power to acquit even over the power of the judge. The jurors were unanimous in their decision of guilt on all charges. These 12 jurors were selected from a pool of citizens of New York which is only 68 percent democratic leaning. It is probable they were not all democrats! It was reported that the selected jurors were attentive, listened to all the evidence without outside influences and consisted of a variety of backgrounds, including two attorneys.
One not guilty vote could result in a hung jury.
Criminal trials are typically held in the area that the charged crimes were committed so a change in venue for this trial was not required. Those of us who have served on juries understand the seriousness of the duty and do not serve in that duty without significant desire to follow the law! To those that did not serve on this jury but have political ideologies that drive their actions, shame on you for your blatant lack of respect for our legal process and the sacrifice the jurors who did serve endured!
-Carrolyn Vidal Newport
